1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wheel assembly for a toy, baby utensil, or sport equipment that allows easy assembly and that provides a secure engagement as well as an aesthetically pleasing effect.
2. Description of the Related Art
A toy, baby utensil, or sport equipment is generally provided with at least one wheel to allow movement. In a typical design for mounting a wheel, a wheeled object comprises a compartment in an underside thereof for receiving a wheel. Two sidewalls defining the compartment have aligned holes, and an axle or shaft is extended through the holes in the sidewalls and an axle hole in the wheel. Pins are provided to secure-two ends of the axle in place. In another design for mounting a wheel, a wheeled object comprises a compartment in an underside thereof for receiving a wheel. Each sidewall defining the compartment has an inverted U-shaped opening. An axle or shaft is extended through an axle hole in the wheel. In addition, each of two ends of the axle has a groove for receiving an edge of an associated sidewall. The ends of the axle in both designs are exposed and thus fail to provide an aesthetically pleasing effect. In addition, the exposed ends of the axle are apt to be damaged in addition to accumulation of dirties. Further, the wheel tends to wobble and thus is in frictional contact with the sidewalls, which leads to non-smooth rotation of the wheel. Further, the structural strength of the latter design is insufficient in view of positioning of the wheel.
An object of the present invention is to provide a wheel assembly for a toy, baby utensil, or sport equipment that allows easy assembly and that provides a secure engagement as well as an aesthetically pleasing effect.
A wheel assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises a wheel-mounting base that is a portion of one of a toy, baby utensil, and sport equipment, a wheel, an axle, and two fixing members. The wheel-mounting base comprises a compartment that is delimited by two sidewalls having aligned first axle holes. The wheel is received in the compartment of the wheel-mounting base and comprises a second axle hole. The axle extends through the first axle holes of the wheel-mounting base and the second axle hole of the wheel with two ends of the axle locating outside the wheel-mounting base. The fixing members are respectively mounted to the sidewalls of the wheel-mounting base. Each fixing member comprises an axle-receiving hole for securely engaging with an associated one of the ends of the axle. Each fixing member is movable between a first angular position in which the fixing member is disengagable from an associated one of the sidewalls of the wheel-mounting base and a second angular position in which the fixing member is securely engaged with the associated one of the sidewalls of the wheel-mounting base.
Each fixing member comprises a tube formed on an inner side thereof to thereby define the axle-receiving hole. The tube has an outer closed end for preventing entrance of alien objects and an inner open end for receiving an associated end of the axle.
Each sidewall of the wheel-mounting base comprises at least one engaging slot having an insertion section and a retaining section. Each fixing member comprises at least one hook that is received in the engaging slot. The hook is movable between the insertion section and the retaining section. Each fixing member is disengagable from the associated sidewall of the wheel-mounting base when the hook is in the insertion section, and disengagement of each fixing member from the associate sidewall of the wheel-mounting base is prevented when the hook is in the retaining section.
The engaging slot has a stop. The hook faces the stop when in the retaining section, thereby preventing disengagement of the fixing member by means of forcible outward pulling of the fixing member. The engaging slot has a stepped portion. The hook has a rib formed thereon. The stepped portion and the rib are so configured that the stepped portion stops the rib and thus prevents movement of the hook from the retaining section to the insertion section of the engaging slot.
Each fixing member may comprise plural holes for engaging with a tool for turning the fixing member.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.